MARCH CHEF’S CORNER: SOME FOOD MUSING…

SOME FOOD MUSING…

By John Rudy

Don’t you hate it when you find a recipe that calls for ¼ teaspoon of a spice you don’t have or have never heard of? About 40 years ago, we were in a Newcomer Club that had a monthly dinner. I needed about a tablespoon of raspberry liquor, and the smallest bottle I could find was a pint. I recently cleaned the closet and threw out that since unused bottle. I prefer orange liquor, my replacement product when a flavored liquor is called for. Click here for a very useful site with information about substitutions.

Ever wonder what you do when you don’t have, say, baking powder? Or buttermilk?

4 teaspoons baking powder OR 1 teaspoon potassium bicarbonate and 1/3 teaspoon salt. NOTE: If the recipe calls for an acidic liquid such as sour cream, yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar, molasses, or citrus juice, you should replace it with the same amount of whole milk

I found an amazing site that has tons of food information and a lot of interesting household information. Ever wonder what you can clean in your dishwasher other than dishes? How about what you should NOT put into the dishwasher? (Copper or non-stick pans.) You can find it all at: thespruce.com

For years, I have been reading about truffles, and I occasionally see them for sale; or I see oils infused with truffles. And they are REALLY EXPENSIVE. Thought that you’d like to know why. This is an informative and humorous 4-minute video. According to my research, there is no “adequate” replacement for truffle oil, so just use extra virgin olive oil.